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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Albert B. Fall, Secretary 




United States Geological Survey 

George Otis Smith, Director 



Water-Supply Paper 500-C 



SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF RUN-OFF 

IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN 

REGION 



BY 



ROBERT FOLLANSBEE 



Contributions to the hydrology of the United States, 1921 
( Pages 55-71 ) 

Published January 21, 1922 




WASH! NCTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1922 



CONTENTS. 



Basis of report 55 

Common characteristics of run-off 55 

Relation between temperature and discharge 57 

General relation 57 

Relation between total snowfall and maximum run-off 58 

Diurnal fluctuations 59 

Unit run-off 05 

Stations in the same basin 65 

Stations in different basins 66 

Winter run-off 69 

Below timber line 69 

Above timber line 71 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Figure 8. Typical hydrograph of a Rocky Mountain stream (Roaring Fork at 

Glenwood Springs, Colo. , for the year ending September 30, 1918) . 56 
9. High -water hydrograph for Arkansas River at Salida, Colo., show- 
ing relation between temperature and daily discharge 57 

10. High-water hydrograph for TJncompahgre River below Ouray, 

Colo . , showing relation between temperature and daily discharge . 58 

11. High-water hydrographs for TJncompahgre River below Ouray, 

Colo., showing relation between temperature and maximum dis- 
charge 59 

12. High-water hydrographs for Colorado River at Hot Sulphur Springs, 

Colo., showing relation between temperature and maximum 
discharge 60 

13. Discharge graph of Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, Colo., show- 

ing diurnal fluctuations 61 

14. Discharge graph of XJncompahgre River below Ouray, Colo., show- 

ing diurnal fluctuations 61 

15. Discharge graph of Tensleep Creek near Tensleep, Wyo., showing 

diurnal fluctuations 62 

16. Discharge graph of Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, Colo., 

showing relation between temperature and mean and hourly 
discharge 63 

17. Winter hydrographs for streams of different-sized drainage areas. . 70 

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LIBRARY OF QONGRESS 
OOGUMfcNT* WjVj^ION 



SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY 
MOUNTAIN REGION. 



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By Robert Follansbee. 



BASIS OF REPORT. 



For the last nine years the United States Geological Survey has 
made a special study of the run-off of mountain streams, particularly 
in Colorado and Wyoming. The gradual installation of water-stage 
recorders on the larger streams has made available sufficient data to 
permit a study of the characteristics of these streams. During this 
period 40 or more stations, located in the mountains and above 
practically all diversions, have been maintained for periods ranging 
from two to eight years or more, and the records thus obtained, 
together with studies of the topography of the drainage basins, form 
the basis of this report. 

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF RUN-OFF. 

All streams that rise in the Rocky Mountains have the same 
characteristics of flow. In the spring of the year they have a high- 
water period, due to the melting of the mountain snows, and after 
the snow disappears the discharge decreases rapidly until it reaches 
a stage where the chief source of supply is the ground water. From 
that time on the decrease is more gradual, the flow diminishing with 
the decrease in the discharge of ground water. This decrease con- 
tinues gradually throughout the fall and winter and usually reaches 
a minimum late in the winter, just before the melting snow again 
causes the streams to rise. Figure 8 is a typical hydrograph of a 
mountain stream in this region — that for the Roaring Fork at 
Glenwood Springs, Colo., for the year ending September 30, 1918. 
The discharge gradually decreased during the fall and winter, and 
there was no marked variation in discharge until March, when the 
melting of the snow at the lower altitudes first caused an increase in 
discharge. With increasing temperature in April the discharge 
increased noticeably, and the variations in flow were due to corre- 
sponding variations in temperature. The more abundant snow at 
the higher altitudes began to melt in May, and the melting increased 
until the peak was reached by the middle of June. After that time 
the decrease was very rapid for several weeks and then became 
more gradual. The rise in September was due to rainfall, which is 
generally not sufficient during the summer to affect the flow of 
the mountain streams. 

55 



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X33J-CJNOD3S Nt 39aVHDSIQ 



RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 



57 



RELATION BETWEEN TEMPERATURE AND DISCHARGE. 

General relation.— As already stated, high water is caused by the 
melting of the mountain snow, and the amount of rise varies directly 
with the temperature. In figure 8 the maximum temperatures 
given above the hydrograph show that a decrease in the maximum, 
which retards the melting of the snow, caused a corresponding 
decrease in discharge. Similarly, an increase in the daily maximum 
temperature rapidly increased the discharge until the snow had so 
far melted that it was no longer able to supply water as rapidly, and 



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June.1914 



Figure Ci.— High-water hydrograph for Arkansas River at Salida, Colo., showing relation between tem- 
perature and daily discharge. 

in consequence the discharge then decreased. Beyond the time 
when the melting of snow with an increase in temperature causes an 
increase in discharge there is no relation between temperature and 
discharge, except during the winter. Figures 9 and 10 show strik- 
ingly the relation between temperature and discharge as brought 
out by hydrographs of two Colorado streams. As both hydrographs 
are for the same year (1914), they show the same variations in tem- 
perature and discharge. The sudden decrease in discharge between 
June 2 and June 10 was due to a drop in temperature. This drop 
occurred while a considerable amount of snow remained, and eon- 



58 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES,' 1921. 

sequently the subsequent increase in temperature caused an imme- 
diate increase in discharge. Had the drop in temperature occurred 
after the snow had melted, there would have been no subsequent 
increase in discharge. 

Relation between total snowfall and maximum run-off. — As the dis- 
charge of the mountain streams is mainly dependent upon the 
mountain snow, the water equivalent of the snow that accumulates 
in the drainage basin determines the total run-off of the following 
year. If the snow falls early in the winter, it becomes compact and 



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Figure 10. — High-water hydrograph for Uncompahgre River below Ouraj 7 , Colo., showing relation 
between temperature and daily discharge. 

melts slowly in the spring, causing the high-water period to be pro- 
longed, but the water does not reach so high a maximum stage. On 
the other hand, if the snow falls late in the season it is loose and melts 
more readily, producing a short high-water period with a high maxi- 
mum discharge. The maximum discharge depends not only upon 
the amount of mountain snow but also upon the rapidity with which 
the temperature rises in the spring. Figures 11 and 12 show the 
high-water hydrographs for two Colorado mountain streams for 1917 
and 1918, together with the maximum daily temperatures for the 



RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 



59 



two years. In 1918 the temperature was high during the later part 
of May and increased rapidly during the first half of June. This 
caused the streams to rise rapidly to a high maximum and then 
recede rapidly, as the snow was soon melted. In contrast to this, 
in 1917 the temperature was low during the later part of May and 
increased but slowly during June; moreover, there were sudden 
drops in temperature during that period. 



As a result the discharge 



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Figure 11.— High- water hydrographs for Uncompahgre River below Ouray, Colo., showing relation 
between temperature and maximum discharge. 

increased more slowly and receded more slowly, giving a longer high- 
water period but one that reached a lower maximum. 

Diurnal fluctuations. — At the high altitudes of the Rocky Moun- 
tains, which range from 8,000 to 14,000 feet, the temperature during 
the 24-hour period fluctuates 20° to 30° or more, and during the 
spring this fluctuation causes the snow to melt during the warmer 
part of the day but to remain frozen the remainder of I lie time. This 
in turn causes a diurnal variation in the amount of water entering 



60 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

the streams. Figures 13, 14, and 15 show the change in discharge 
during each 24-hour period for a week or more during high water 
for three typical streams. The discharge was determined from con- 
tinuous gage-height graphs obtained by means of water-stage 
recorders. It will be seen that the hours of maximum and minimum 
discharge are not the same for each stream, as they depend upon the 
distance the melted snow has to travel before reaching the gage. For 
the Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs (fig. 13) the maximum and 
minimum daily temperatures are given. It should be noted that the 
period covered by this graph includes the maximum discharge and 




Figure 12.— High-water hydrographs for Colorado River at Hot Sulphur Springs, Colo., showing relation 
between temperature and maximum discharge. 

that after June 14 the discharge decreased, although the temperatures 
continued high, a relation which shows that the snow had nearly 
disappeared. 

The diurnal fluctuations are directly dependent upon the daily 
range of temperature up to the period of maximum discharge and also 
upon the increase in both maximum and minimum temperatures. 
Figure 16 shows the continuous discharge of Roaring Fork at Glen- 
wood Springs from May 18 to June 10, 1919, together with the curve 
of maximum and minimum temperatures. From May 18 to 29 the 
extremes of temperature and their relation to each other remained 



RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 



61 




Figube 13.— Discharge graph of Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, Colo., showing diurnal fluctuations. 



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Figure 14— Discharge graph of Uncompahgre River below Ouray, Colo., showing diurnal fluctuations. 
63182°— 22 2 



62 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

fairly constant, and as a result the diurnal fluctuations were somewhat 
uniform, although the mean discharge gradually increased. On May 
30 the temperature suddenly dropped, and this resulted in an im- 
mediate decrease in the mean daily discharge and an almost complete 
elimination of diurnal fluctuations. Subsequently an increase in 
both mean and extreme temperatures caused a gradual increase in 
the mean daily discharge and a reappearance of the diurnal fluctua- 
tions, which increased in range as the temperature increased. 

The range of fluctuation in percentage of mean discharge decreases 
as the distance of the point of measurement from the source increases, 




Figure 15.— Discharge graph of Tensleep Creek near Tensleep, Wyo., showing diurnal fluctuations. 

or, to express it in another way, as the drainage area above the point 
of measurement increases. This is due to the fact that water from 
melting snow in different portions of the drainage basin reaches the 
stream at different hours, thus tending to reduce the fluctuations. 
The larger the drainage basin the greater are the number of tributaries 
that bring their maximum discharges to the main streams at different 
hours and the greater the consequent equalizing effect. The accom- 
panying table (p. 64) shows the percentage of variations in daily dis- 
charge of streams draining different-sized areas for simultaneous 
periods in 1918 and 1919. 



RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 



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RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 65 

The drainage areas above the measuring points on the streams 
shown for the seven days in 1918 range from 76 to 4,520 square miles. 
The average maximum discharge ranged from 139 per cent of the mean 
for the smallest area to 103 per cent for the largest, and the average 
minimum discharge from 72 to 95 per cent. The drainage areas con- 
sidered in the comparison for the five days in 1919 range from 44 to 
4,520 square miles. The average maximum discharge ranged from 
127 to 102 per cent of the mean for the smallest and largest areas, 
respectively, and the average minimum discharge ranged from 80 to 
97 per cent. The range of percentages was smaller in 1919 on account 
of the smaller total discharge and the colder spring. The tabulation 
also shows the possible errors that may be made by basing computa- 
tions of daily discharge upon one gage reading. The mean of two 
daily readings taken nearly 12 hours apart will be very much nearer 
the true mean for the day, as will be seen by inspecting figures 13 to 16. 

UNIT RUN- OFF. 

Stations in the same oasin. — As snowfall, which is the chief source 
of run-off in the mountain streams, increases with altitude, it is 
evident that in general the upper portions of a drainage basin have 
a greater run-off per unit of area drained than the lower portions. 
It is not possible to show directly the varying run-off from different 
altitudes, but a comparison of the records for different stations on 
the same stream shows that the smallest unit run-off occurs at the 
lowest altitude. The table on page 66 shows three comparisons be- 
tween stations in the same basin for practically the same years, 
together with an analysis of each drainage area, showing percentages 
above different altitudes. The figures represent the natural run-off, 
as allowances have been made for the few diversions that affect the 
run-off. 

Laramie River at Glendevey, Colo., with 13 per cent of its drainage 
area above an altitude of 11,000 feet, has a mean annual run-off of 
880 acre-feet to the square mile. At the station near Woods, Wyo., 
only 3 per cent of the drainage area is above 11,000 feet, and the 
remaining 97 per cent, of which 38 per cent is below 9,000 feet, con- 
tributes so small a run-off that the unit run-off for the entire drainage 
area is reduced to 474 acre-feet. Similarly Deep Creek, a tributary 
of Rock Creek, with its entire drainage area between 10,000 and 1 1,000 
feet, has a run-off of 1,340 acre-feet to the square mile, but Rock 
Creek itself, which has only 43 per cent of its drainage area above 
10,000 feet, has a run-off of only 804 acre-feet to the square mile. 
South Boulder Creek near Rollinsville, with 94 per cent of its drain- 
age area above 9,000 feet and 13 per cent above 11,000 feet, has a 
mean annual run-off of 1,180 acre-feet to the square mile. At Eldo- 
63182°— 22 3 



66 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 



rado Springs, where only 56 per cent of the drainage area is above 
9,000 feet and 9 per cent above 11,000 feet, the lower areas contribute 
so small a run-off that the unit run-off for the entire drainage area is 
reduced to 496 acre-feet. 

Comparison of unit run-off for stations in the same drainage basins. 



Station. 





Drainage area. 




Average annual 
run-off (acre- 
feet). 


Total 
(square 
miles). 


Per 

cent 
above 
9,000 
feet. 


Per 

cent 
above 
10,000 

feet. 


Per 

cent 
above 
11,000 

feet. 


Per 

cent 
above 
12,000 

feet. 


Total. 


Per 

square 
mile. 


102 


74 


24 


13 


1 


89,700 


880 


293 


48 


10 


4 


.3 


173, 000 


590 


409 


35 


7 


3 


.2 


194,000 


474 


3.7 


100 


100 








4,970 


1,340 


70 


85 


43 








56,200 


804 


39 


94 


62 


13 


2 


45,400 


1,180 


115 


56 


28 


9 


1 


57,200 


4% 



Years covered 
by records. 



Laramie River basin. 

Laramie River at Glendevey, 

Colo. 
Laramie River near Jelm, 

Wyo. 
Laramie River near Woods, 

Wyo. 

Rock Creek basin. 

Deep Creek near Arlington, 

Wyo. 
Rock Creek near Arlington, 

Wyo. 

South Boulder Creek basin. 

South Boulder Creek near 
Rollinsville, Colo. 

South Boulder Creek at El- 
dorado Springs, Colo. 



1905, Wil- 
ms. 

1912-1918. 



1915, 1917. 
1915, 1917. 

1911-1917. 
1911-1917. 



Stations in different basins. — The unit run-off of mountain streams 
varies not only with the altitude, as shown in the preceding para- 
graphs, but also with the presence or absence of higher mountain 
masses near by yet outside the drainage basin itself. 

The following table, compiled from records of mountain streams 
at stations above diversions, or where known diversions have been 
accounted for, shows an analysis of altitudes for each drainage area, 
the total run-off, and the mean annual run-off per square mile for 
each stream. The analysis of altitudes is based on measurements 
made on topographic maps. 

In this table the stations are arranged geographically, beginning at 
the northwest corner of Wyoming and following south along the west 
side of the main mountain masses, then taking the stations in the 
interior mountain ranges, and finally those on the eastern slope of. 
the front range, facing the great plains. This arrangement brings 
out the fact that in general the streams which drain the western 
ranges have a much higher unit run-off than those which drain the 
interior and eastern ranges. 



RUN-OFF IX THE BOCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 



67 



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68 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

The most striking comparison shown in the table is that between 
the station on Snake River near Moran, Wyo., and those on the east- 
ern slope of Pikes Peak, in Colorado. At the Moran station the 
drainage area is practically all below 10,000 feet and the annual run- 
off is 1,540 acre-feet to the square mile; on Boehmer Creek near 
Pikes Peak, Colo., whose drainage area lies between 11,000 and 14,000 
feet, the mean run-off is 667 acre-feet to the square mile, and the 
other streams in that vicinity, with the greater part of their drainage 
areas between 10,000 and 14,000 feet, have a run-off of approximately 
400 acre-feet to the square mile. The Snake River basin above the 
upper end of the Teton Range has no large mountain masses of high 
altitude to the west, but Pikes Peak, .although detached from the 
main mountain mass, has the entire Rocky Mountain system to the 
west but faces the plains on the east. 

The difference in run-off on different sides of a large mountain 
mass is shown by the comparison between the Uncompahgre, the 
Rio Grande, and Lake Fork, which drain one of the largest mountain 
masses in the Rockies. The Uncompahgre drains the northwestern 
slope, the Rio Grande the eastern slope, and Lake Fork the north- 
eastern slope. The altitude of these drainage areas is similar, from 
32 to 41 per cent lying above 12,000 feet and from 2 to 6 per cent 
above 13,000 feet, yet the run-off decreases from 1,670 acre-feet to 
the square mile on the northwestern slope to 1,090 acre-feet on the 
eastern slope and to 725 acre-feet on the northeastern slope. The 
figure for the northeastern slope, being based on records for only one 
year (1918), is somewhat uncertain, although in the Uncompahgre 
drainage basin the run-off for that year is 95 per cent of the mean for 
six years. The highest run-off given in the table is 2,340 acre-feet 
for Crystal River at Marble, Colo., whose drainage area is not at an 
excessively high altitude, being surpassed by those of several other 
streams on which the run-off is considerably lower. An explanation 
of this phenomenon is found in the fact that west of the mountain 
range whose eastern slope is drained by Crystal River there are no 
other mountain masses higher than the flat-topped mesas of western 
Colorado. 

The comparatively high run-off of Deep Creek near Arlington 
(1,340 acre-feet) is due to altitude and position, of which position is 
relatively more important. The drainage area lies on the flat top of the 
Medicine Bow Mountains. To the east is the main bulk of the range, 
one small area of which reaches an altitude of 11,000 feet, but to the 
west the nearest range approaching 10,000 feet in altitude is the 
Wasatch Range, in eastern Utah, and to the northwest the nearest 
range is the Wind River Mountains. 

A noticeable effect of altitude upon run-off is shown by the. com- 
parison between Eagle River and Homestake Creek. Eagle River, 
with 6 per cent of its drainage area above 12,000 feet and 34 per cent 



RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 69 

above 11,000 feet, has a run-off of 744 acre-feet to the square mile; 
Homestake Creek, which drains an area joining that of the Eagle on 
the west and which has 12 per cent of its area above 12,000 feet 
and 47 per cent above 11,000 feet, shows a run-off of 1,210 acre-feet. 

South Boulder Creek at Rollins ville, Colo., presents an apparent 
exception to the generally low run-off of streams draining the eastern 
ranges. Its drainage area, 2 per cent of which is above 12,000 feet, 
lies on the east side of the Continental Divide, and its run-off is 1,180 
acre-feet. This may be explained by the fact that west of this 
part of the divide lies the comparatively open region of Middle Park, 
and west of that no mountain masses as high as the divide itself. 

The foregoing comparisons show that in the Rocky Mountain region 
unit run-off varies not only with altitude but also with the location 
of the drainage basin in reference to mountain masses near by on the 
west, as the storms coming from the west apparently carry more 
moisture and precipitate the greater part of their moisture on the 
first ranges they strike, the amount precipitated becoming less as 
each succeeding range is reached. 

WINTER RUN- OFF. 

Below timber line. — The winter run-off of mountain streams, being 
wholly dependent upon ground water, gradually decreases and reaches 
a minimum just before the melting of the snow in the spring. The 
higher the altitude drained the less is the likelihood of temporary 
rises of temperature being sufficient to affect the discharge. Sudden 
drops in temperature at the beginning of the winter have a decided 
temporary effect on the run-off, but the effect of similar drops later 
in the winter is much less. Figure 17 shows four hydrographs of 
streams ranging in drainage area from 8,080 to 48 square miles for 
the winter of 1918-19. The hydrograph for Colorado River at Glen- 
wood Springs, Colo, (drainage area 4,520 square miles), shows that 
the flow dropped suddenly during the later part of November as a 
result of the low temperature, then rose with the temperature, and 
again fell more gradually, registering a minimum on December 25 
as a result of the low temperature at that time. After rising again 
the run-off gradually decreased for the remainder of the winter until 
early in March, when the rising temperatures caused the snow at the 
lower altitudes to melt and increase the run-off. The daily fluctua- 
tions were due to the operation of the Shoshone power plant, 7 miles 
upstream from the station. The hydrograph for Big Horn River at 
Thermopolis, Wyo. (drainage area 8,080 square miles), has the same 
general characteristics and shows the decided effect of sudden drops 
and rises in temperature at the beginning of the winter but the very 
slight effect of similar changes later in the winter until March, when 
the temperature rose sufficiently to melt the snow at the lower alti- 
tudes. The hydrograph for Tensleep Creek near Tensleep, Wyo. 



70 



CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 




l98j-puooas ui s^jeqosiQ 



RUN-OFF IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 71 

(drainage area 228 square miles), shows that the only effect of tem- 
perature on this stream was at the beginning of the winter, as for the 
greater part of the season the flow was almost constant, with a slow 
decrease. The upper station on Chalk Creek near St. Elmo, Colo, 
(drainage area 48 square miles) , is at so high an altitude that changes 
in temperature during the winter had little effect on the run-off, being 
insufficient to cause the snow to melt. 

Above timber line. — In this region the altitude of timber line (the 
upper limit at which timber grows) increases from 10,000 feet in 
northern Wyoming to 12,000 feet in central Colorado. Above this 
line the ground is covered with short grass and the soil is generally 
thin and at the higher altitudes gives way entirely to the bare rocks 
of the mountain peaks. Although the snowfall is very heavy in 
these areas, the scantiness of the soil does not afford any considerable 
reservoir for storing ground water. Observations made by the United 
States Forest Service show that at the Wagonwheel Gap experiment 
station, where the timber line is at 12,000 feet, the mean soil tempera- 
ture at depths of 1 foot and 4 feet is 33° F. At a depth of 1 foot the 
soil is frozen on an average seven and one-half months of the year, 
and at a depth of 4 feet it is frozen five months of the year. Similar 
observations on Pikes Peak, where the timber line is likewise at 
12,000 feet, show that the soil there at a depth of 1 foot remains 
frozen six months each year. As the temperature decreases with an 
increase in altitude, it is evident that above the lowest altitude 
reached by timber line the soil remains frozen for a longer period 
and the frost reaches a greater depth. The ground water is the only 
source of supply for streams in these areas during the winter, and the 
small amount of water in the soil remains mostly in the form of ice, 
little if any of it reaching the streams. 

Records of winter run-off for stations at or above timber line in 
this region are very meager, but such as are available show the run-off 
to be practically zero. During the winter of 1914-15 Mr. S. C. Hulse, 
consulting engineer, maintained three gaging stations, of which one 
had its entire drainage area above timber line and the other two half 
their areas above timber line. These stations were visited weekly 
from November to March by a hydrographer, who found 1 that at 
the upper station on Spruce Creek near Breckenridge, with an area of 
1.7 square miles wholly above timber line, the How ceased entirely 
at the end of November and did not begin again until spring. The 
lower Spruce Creek station, with a drainage area of 3.4 square miles, 
had a winter flow decreasing from 0.25 second-foot in December to 
0.15 second-foot in March, or from 0.07 to 0.03 foot to the square 
mile. Similarly Crystal Creek near Breckenridge, with a drainage 
area of 2 square miles, had a winter flow decreasing from 0.10 to 
0.05 second-foot to the square mile. 

i U. S. Gcol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 409, pp. 77-79, 1918. 



INDEX. 



Page. 

Acknowledgments for aid 2, 33 

Arkansas River at Salida, Colo., relation of 

temperature to discharge of 57-58 

Arnett, Okla., well of county courthouse at.. 43 
wells northwest of 46-47 

Beaver, Okla ., precipitation at 40 

Chambers, Alfred A., analysis by 50 

Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho, controversy con- 
cerning 1-2 

description of 3-4 

drainage district on, proposed 8 

inflow and outflow of 12-13 

influence of storage on level of 15-18 

lowering the outlet of, feasibility of 25 

interference with navigation by 25 

purposes to be served by 21-23 

overflow lands near, value of 7-8 

transportation on 7 

use of, for storage water 1 

parties in interest in 20-21 

value of, for development of water power. 8-9 

water level of 6-7 

Coeur d'Alene Lake region, Idaho, diking of 

lands in, commercial aspect of . . . 28 

diking lands in, effects of 26-27 

public interest in 29-30 

field work in 2 

lead deposited on lands in 8 

reconciling of interests in 30-31 

settlement of 9-10 

water-logging of lands in 18-20, 28 

diking and draining necessary to re- 
lieve 26, 28 

Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho, deposition of soil 

by 3 

Colorado River, high-water fluctuations of... 60,64 

Davenport, R. W., Coeur d'Alene Lake, 

Idaho, and the overflow lands. . . 1-31 

Fargo, Okla., well at 42 

Follansbee, Robert, Some characteristics of 
run-off in the Rocky Mountain 

region 55-71 

Foster, Margaret I)., analysis by 50 

Gage, Okla., flowing well near 44-46,50,51 

flowing well near, plates showing 44 

public water supply of 12, 50, 51 

well 3 miles south of, quality of water in. 50, 51 

Gage, Okla., and vicinity, artesian conditions 

in the "Red Beds" in 48 

climate of 40-41 

feasibility of irrigation in 33-34, 51-53 

geography of 34-37 



Page. 

Gage, Okla., and vicinity, geology of 37-39 

ground- water investigation in 33 

quality of waters in 38, 50-51 

"Red Beds" in, features of 37-39 

springs in 44 

Tertiary and Quaternary deposits in 39 

water from alluvium in 4142 

water from Permian "Red Beds" in 44-48 

water from Tertiary deposits in 42-44 

Gate, Okla., well near 47 

Guarantee Development Co., well of, near 

Gage, Okla 44-46,50,51 

Herrick, Fred, acknowledgment to 2 

Holmes, C. H., acknowledgment to 33 

Home Producers Oil & Gas Co., acknowl- 
edgment to 33 

well drilled by 47, 48 

Idaho, northern, climate of 5-6 

Jessup, L. T. , acknowledgment to 2 

Kidwell, C. H., analysis by 50 

Land, values of, for agriculture and for water- 
power storage compared 28-30 

Lipscomb, Okla., well near 47 

May, Okla., well southwest of 47 

Minton, C. J., acknowledgment to 33 

Mullan, Capt. John, cited 4-5,21 

Mutual, Okla., precipitation at 40 

Noble, T. A., estimate of, on enlarging the 

channel of Spokane River 22 

Nye, Capt. John A., acknowledgment to 2 

Parker, M. S., acknowledgment to 2 

Post Falls, Idaho, building of dams at 10, 13 

elevations of dams at, diagram showing.. 10 

operation of dams at 13-14 

Power, hydroelectric, development of, on 

Spokane River s-'.t 

Roaring Fork, Colo., diurnal discharge, fluc- 
tuations of 60,61,6 1 I 

Run-off, diurnal fluctuations of 59-65 

maximum, relation between rate of melt- 
ing of snow and 58-59 

relations of temperature and discharge 

shown in 57-65 

unit, calculation of 65-68 

Run-off of Rocky Mountain dtreams, com- 
mon characteristics of 55 

St. Joe River, Idaho; deposition of soil by... 3 

description of valley of 4-5 

drainage disi rid on, proposed 8 

7.1 



74 



INDEX. 



St. Maries, Idaho, temperature and precipita- 
tion recorded at 5-6 

Schultz, CD., wells on farm of 46-47 

Sowers, R . M . , acknowledgment to 33 

Spokane River, Idaho and Wash., descrip- 
tion of 5 

discharge of, at Spokane, Wash 1 

elevation of dams on, diagram showing 10 

flow records of. 6 

measurements and materials of bed of. . . 23 

minor improvements feasible in 25-26 

profile and cross sections of 24 

proposed improvement of, benefits to be 

expected from 24 

damages possible from 25 

excavation necessary for 23-24 

Spokane River basin, Idaho and Wash., map 

of 4 

Tensleep Creek, Wyo., diurnal discharge, 

fluctuations of 62, 64 



Thompson, David G., Ground water for irri- 
gation near Gage, Okla 33-53 

Uncompahgre River, Colo., high- water and 

discharge fluctuations of. . . 58, 59, 61, 64 

Washington Water Power Co., acknowledg- 
ment to 2 

acquirement ofwater rights by 10-12,27-28 

enlargement of the channel of Spokane 

River proposed by 22 

use of Coeur d' Alene Lake by 1 

Waters, classification of 48-50 

Winter run-off of mountain streams, fluctua- 
tion of 69-71 

Wolf Creek, Okla., irrigation wells in valley 

of 34,42 

quality ofwater of 50,51 

Woodward, Okla., precipitation at 40 

temperature at 41 

well southwest of 47 

Zahn, L., well of, near Gage, Okla 43 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Albert B. Fall, Secretary 



United States Geological Survey 

George Otis Smith, Director 



Water-Supply Paper 500 



CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY 
OF THE UNITED STATES 

1921 



NATHAN C. GROVER, Chief Hydraulic Engineer 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1922 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 

(A) Coeur d 'Alene Lake, Idaho, and the overflow lands, by R. W. Davenport 

(published May 13, 1921) 1 

(B) Ground water for irrigation near Gage, Ellis County, Okla., by D. G. 

Thompson (published July 21, 1921) 33 

(C) Some characteristics of run-off in the Rocky Mountain region, by Robert 

Follansbee (published January 21, 1922) 55 

Index 73 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Plate I. Map of Spokane River basin, Idaho and Washington 4 

II. Diagram showing details of elevations of old and new dams on 

Spokane River at Post Falls, Idaho 10 

III. -Profile and cross sections of Spokane River from outlet of Coeur 

d 'Alene Lake to Post Falls, Idaho 24 

IV. A, Flowing well half a mile east of Gage, Okla.; B, Near view of 

flowing well near Gage, Okla., showing discharge 44 

Figure 1. Diagram showing fall of water level of Coeur d 'Alene Lake, Idaho, 
dining summer before and after operation of bear-trap dam in 
relation to water-surface area 4 

2. Comparison of actual hydrograph for heights of Coeur d 'Alene Lake, 

Idaho, in flood of January, 1918, and estimated hydrograph assum- 
ing storage in lake to level of 2,124 feet at beginning of flood . . . . " 1G 

3. Comparison of actual hydrograph for heights of Coeur d 'Alene Lake. 

Idaho, in flood of May, 1917, and estimated hydrograph assuming 
storage in lake to level of 2,126.5 feet on April 6 . 17 

4. Diagram showing elevation of water level of Coeur d'Alene Lake, 

Idaho, on given dates before and after the operation of the bear- 
trap dam at Post Falls and area of lands overflowed at different 
levels above 2,120 feet 19 

5. Map of part of northwestern Oklahoma 35 

6. Diagrammatic cross section between Gage, Okla.. and Wagon 

Mound, N. Mex., showing probable structure of "Red Beds," 
source of water, and cause of artesian flow at Gage, Okla 38 

7. Theoretical cross section showing possible structure near Gage, 

Okla., and source of water in flowing well at Gage 39 

8. Typical hydrograph of a Rocky Mountain stream (Roaring Fork at 

Glen wood Springs, Colo., for the year ending September 30, 1918). 

9. High-water hydrograph for Arkansas River at Salida, Colo., show- 

ing relation between temperature and daily discharge 57 

m 



IV CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Figure 10. High-water hydrograph for Uncompahgre River below Ouray, 

Colo. , showing relation between temperature and daily discharge . 58 

11. High-water hydrographs for Uncompahgre River below Ouray, 

Colo., showing relation between temperature and maximum dis- 
charge : 59 

12. High-water hydrographs for Colorado River at Hot Sulphur Springs, 

Colo., showing relation between temperature and maximum 
discharge ' 60 

13. Discharge graph of Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, Colo., show- 

ing diurnal fluctuations 61 

14. Discharge graph of Uncompahgre River below Ouray, Colo., show- 

ing diurnal fluctuations 61 

15. Discharge graph of Tensleep Creek near Tensleep, Wyo., showing 62 

diurnal fluctuations 62 

16. Discharge graph of Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, Colo., 

showing relation between temperature and mean and hourly 

discharge 63 

17_ Winter hydrographs for streams of different-sized drainage areas. 70 

o 



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